2006 Goodguys Nitro Nationals - Blast Of Nostalgia

The popularity of Goodguys' Vintage Drag Racing could turn the first decade of the 21st century into drag racing's glory years. At least that's the feeling we get watching the competition at the March Meet, the Nitro Nats, the Hot Rod Nats, and the Fuel & Gas Finals. For everyone who loves Gassers, Altereds, Roadsters, front-engine diggers, and early Funny Cars, it's nostalgia all over again.

For a lot of fans, an old-time strip like Famoso in Bakersfield (home of the March Meet) is the perfect place to watch vintage drags. For a lot of the racers, however, pulling up to the starting lights at the historic but up-to-date Pomona Fairplex (home of the NHRA Winternationals since 1961) is pretty exciting.

We spent the last weekend in June at the Fairplex for the Goodguys 7th Pomona Nitro Nationals. With hundreds of hot rods running in a dozen categories and classes from Top Fuelers to Gassers, Nostalgia Eliminator to Hot Rod bracket racing, the racing lasts from before breakfast until way after dark, with hours of action under the lights.

We had a taste for Roadsters and Altereds that weekend and spent most of our time watching the category packed with those cars: Nostalgia Eliminator. Goodguys has divided this category into three index classes. Nostalgia I is the 7.60-second elapsed time index, with Nostalgia II and Nostalgia III running 8.60 and 9.60 indexes respectively. All NE classes are open to center-steer cars, including dragsters, with '72-or-earlier bodies. Left-hand-steer cars can race in NE2 or NE3. Cars can be blown or injected. Gas, alcohol, and even nitro are allowed. Electronic driving devices? Not allowed!

Most of the Altereds and Roadsters in NE run big-block or small-block Chevys. There are plenty of Hemis, a few big-block Fords, and the occasional "other," such as the injected VW in Marty Stagg's 23 T roadster. We noticed an almost even split between blowers and injectors, and between gasoline and alcohol, with injected cars favoring alcohol. Powerglides are the most prevalent transmissions.

Nostalgia Eliminator can be a good entry level for new racers or guys getting back into the sport. Building a car for Nostalgia generally requires less cash than the Fuel and Gas classes, and the the cars, once built, require a lower level of maintenance. We didn't see too many racers yanking on wrenches between rounds. Instead, they were walking the show 'n' shine area, hanging out at their trailers, and watching the rest of the racing from the grandstands. Nostalgia I racer Bruce McDowell calls it "barbecue racing." Dean Prochison, who races a '23 T in NE3 said he doesn't want his crew chief spending all his time working on the car, since he's also the head cook. And not a single member of Mike Lomas' Nostalgia II crew looked old enough to drive.

But it's only easy between rounds. At the starting line, Nostalgia Eliminator is a tough class. The fields can be very tight, with only a few tenths between the Number 1 qualifier and the bump spot. As in all indexed classes, racers have to run that razor's edge between the index and the e.t. of the guy next to you. Winning takes a ton of skill and some serious seat-of-the-pants knowledge of your car.

In addition to being a competitive category, and relatively easy to get into, most racers we met talked about how much fun the Nostalgia classes are. Between the camaraderie of the participants, the competitiveness on the strip, and the excitement of racing truly nostalgic cars, Nostalgia Eliminator probably offers more blast per buck than any other type of drag racing.

The Goodguys Vintage Drag Racing season isn't over yet, and we've already got our motel room for the Fuel & Gas Finals to be held at Famoso Raceway in Bakersfield, California, on November 6 and 7. For more information about racing at this event, or about enjoying a weekend of some fantastic nostalgic racing, contact Goodguys at www.goodguys.com or call (925) 838-9876.

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We had a ball watching Craig Wallace's '29 A sedan, mostly because it looks like a streetable hot rod. Except for the cage, Craig built this sedan himself. He found the steel body in a friend's backyard; the nose is the only 'glass portion. The 0.060-over 350 burns alcohol from the Ron's Racing port injection system.

Craig got started bracket racing, moving to NE3 when the index was created. He likes the class because it's relatively inexpensive and relatively low-maintenance. "I rebuild the motor every few years, and put bearings in every season if there are no problems in between. Between rounds, I just put fuel in it, and charge the battery after a few runs. After about 100 passes, I replace the tires. That's typically about it, unless I break parts. I don't want to have to tear the engine down every other weekend, and I don't want a crew to follow me around. Sometimes my wife comes with me or my high school friend, Bob Hendricks. Bob and I street raced in the '60s, so coming to these races is like a reunion for us."

Wallace, who has helped build numerous vintage drag cars, is the 2003 Nostalgia III champ, and with a win at the March Meet, Runner-Up at the Nitro Nats in Vegas, and another win in Pomona, he's on the way to a repeat in 2004. We prodded for the secret of success. "Know your abilities and limitations, and don't build a car beyond your mechanical ability or interest level." Before we left, we asked him about the wheels. "Swap meet specials: slotted aluminum wheels. The Moon discs are a pain in the pits, but everybody loves them and they add to the look of the car, so they're staying on."